Ethnobotanical Survey and Phytochemical Profiling of Medicinal Plants Used for Traditional Bone-Setting in Katsina State, Nigeria

The study investigates the ethnobotanical uses and phytochemical analysis of medicinal plants employed in traditional bone setting in Katsina State, Nigeria. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in six local government areas: Katsina, Kaita, Malumfashi, Funtua, Daura, and Sandamu using a structured questionnaire to gather data from traditional bone setters, herbalists, farmers, and others. The survey identified several medicinal plants, with Calotropis procera having the highest citation frequency and Faidherbia albida the least. The phytochemical composition of the selected plants was evaluated using standard methods, revealing the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, and carbohydrates in all samples. The ethanolic extracts of the plants were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), identifying 32 bioactive compounds in Calotropis procera with four major bioactive compounds and 22 bioactive compounds in Faidherbia albida, having Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (C17H34O2), 9,17-Octadecadienal, (Z)- (C18H32O), 9,11-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, (E,E)- (C19H34O2), and 4-Nonyne (C9H16) as major bioactive compounds. This study has contributed to the preservation of indigenous knowledge used for traditional bone setting in Katsina State.